The “old’ moniker for Mexico is fading fast. Prior to the recent millennium, one might have heard the expression “ ..Mexico never seemed to be in a hurry to get into the 21st century…” Well, the 21st is here, and it appears Mexico is trying hard to catch up, with a vengeance. I’ve spent most of 2015 and half of 2016 in Mexico. I am witnessing now, that which I would rather not see.
Such modern things one sees most commonly in the US has invaded old Mexico more than ever before: superstores, Walmart, malls, cell phones, tennis-shoe stores and appliance and electronic stores. The latest fashions like fake-faded, tight jeans, baseball caps, and logo shirts. Polyester, day-glo colors (even on houses and buildings - eek!), fast foods, pizza, burgers, processed meats, hams and hot dogs...resulting in obesity.
Debit cards, super highways & their rip-off toll charges...and cars? My gawd, the cars! Most or possibly all of which are made in Mexico now. Possibly the worst?: Chinese imports--plastics and “dollar” stores.
I can see much of these changes mentioned simply by sitting on a bench in Patzcuaro’s Plaza Chica. Patzcuaro, Michoacan, a "Pueblo Magico" town, one of those the government recognizes as historical, where one expects to see things less changed -- "as they were." Speaking of change -- I can feel the increase in traffic here just from a bit over a year ago when I first arrived. And the streets, they are simply paving them now. Less cobblestones. Less old worldness. Even in small towns. Some with red or yellow painted curbs. The curbs in center of Patzcuaro are always filled with cars. As you sit in one of the several sidewalk cafes, you gaze at parked cars in your view. They have yet to make any rules to limit the number of cars. Parking garages are much needed. As are a few rules. The "Magico" is faint at best.
NAFTA, passed in ‘94, is much to blame for those things that were akin to living in the US of A: Chinese made junk, common in the US, can now be shipped across the border by the truck load. Mostly “doble remolque” semi-trucks, 40 foot doubles not allowed in most of the US. As I usually drive in Mexico, I am constantly competing with the influx of thousands of trucks now seen on Mexico’s highways, much to my dismay.
Thinking back to the 60s, before NAFTA, there were Coca Cola, white bread, fake Levis, hot dogs, xmas trees & Santa Claus -- to name a few. Mexico’s "Bimbo" bread company is now the biggest in the world. Owning Oroweat and Sara Lee also.
I’ve been coming to Mexico since I was a kid. Back in the 20th. We moved to Mexico from California. My folks were adventurous. It was 1964. Can you remember what you were doing then? Did you visit Mexico in those days? The “old’ Mexico as I prefer to call it. We went from the First World to the Third. All we had to do was drive South for 500 miles. As soon as you crossed the border, you were enveloped in all things different.
My family fell in love - with the different culture and customs, different lifestyle, different language. Different food, different music, different climate. Friendlier, simpler people. For me too, it was like stepping back in time, in history. For older folks like my parents, I am sure they were reminded of when things in the US were simpler, less hurried, more homemade-like, with love and passion built in.
Those days are fading fast. Things have fast become the same, homogenized, amalgamated, gentrified. No matter where you go in much of the world. The world just gets uglier! Globalization sucks. And frankly, so does this 21st century.
My Mexico has sadly changed. Where can I go now?
PG
